For Appearance's Sake
by Magick Starr
Summary: Sequel to 'Trouble That Only One Can Solve.' I advise you read that first if you want this to make sense. Slash.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: For Lucy; who nagged! This is a sequel to 'Trouble That Only One Can Solve', if you haven't read it I suggest this would make much more sense if you quickly pop off and read that one first! There's something at the end of this chapter that some of you (yes Lucy, I mean you) may want to kill me for, please don't!

* * *

Sam sunk back into her chair; surveying her office that was finally one she wasn't required to share. After three years of Sun Hill having two DI's, they'd decided they couldn't afford to keep both herself and Neil Manson in a job, thankfully she hadn't fallen foul of the chop this time, so she was left with the entire office to herself.

Leaning forward, she smiled slightly, picking up the receiver, 'DI Nixon.' She sat back in the chair again, letting her head fall back as she listened to the voice on the other end. 'Yep… Oh, no, no, she… yeah, yeah okay, thanks for telling me.' The blonde slammed the phone down, sighing to herself as she let her elbows rest on the desk, her head dropping into her hands. Hearing a knock at the door, Sam moaned, straightening out her hair before beckoning them in.

'Sam, hi, bad day?' Jack quizzed, entering the office to find his DI looking slightly off colour.

'Yeah, you could say that.'

'Want to talk about it?'

'Annette Badland, 27 year old hot-shot lawyer with a coke habit. Shopped her dealer to us, and now she's lying in a morgue somewhere.'

'I'm sure you're not to blame, Sam.'

'But I am. I promised I'd protect her. I was so busy gathering the evidence on her dealer that I pushed her witness protection to the back of my mind. I'd just sent someone to pick her up and take her to a safe house when they found her dead in her own living room. I failed her.'

'I'm sure she doesn't blame you.'

'Course she doesn't, she'd dead.' She replied sarcastically, a slight venom in her voice, aimed more at herself than Jack.

'You know what I mean.'

'Yeah, well, no one can say that with complete confidence, can they? She's not there to ask.'

'I suppose. Well, I've got some news that should cheer you up.'

'Hmm? I doubt it, Guv. No offence.'

'None taken. We've found DS Turner's replacement.'

'Yeah?'

'Yeah. It's an old face, last time you saw her she was still a DC.'

Sam delved into the various female DC's that came and went over the years. The only name that sprung to mind was Suzie. Hmm, she hoped not. 'Who?'

'Jo.'

'Masters?' Sam knew that there was only one 'Jo' that he would have been referring to, but all the same, it was a shock and she needed to be certain.

'That's the one.' Jack responded with a smile, hoping to see one on Sam's face, knowing they used to be friends before Jo left.

Sam inwardly groaned, though at the same time ensured her disappointment didn't reach her face. 'Has she accepted?'

'About half an hour ago, I thought you should be the first to know.'

'Yeah, thanks. Did you want me to tell the team?'

'Yeah, if that's okay by you.'

'Course it is, when's she starting?'

'Thursday.'

'This Thursday?' Sam asked, her eyes quickly flicking to her desk calendar to check for herself that she was right in thinking it was Tuesday today.

'Yes, we needed a quick replacement.'

'Right, well, I'll let them know tomorrow then.'

'Okay.' Jack was about to leave the office when he turned back, 'Sam?'

'Yes Guv?'

'Go home, get some sleep. You're not responsible for what happened to Annette, don't blame yourself.'

'Guv.' Sam replied, making an effort to pack up her files while he stood over her. Once Jack was satisfied she was leaving, he returned to his own office, leaving Sam to lean back in her chair once again.

Sam ended up lost in her own thoughts, her mind oblivious to the hours slowly ticking by before her very eyes. All she could think about was Jo. It had been three years since she'd said goodbye to her in Manchester. She'd only just got the brunette out of her system and now she was going to be back working here again, ruining any chance Sam would have of getting over her. The blonde couldn't quite figure out why life had a way of reminding her of where she'd gone wrong with her life.

She found her thoughts trailing down another path; what would her life been like now if she'd got together with Jo, if she'd allowed the brunette to return to London with her. Would they still be together now? Would her heart have been completely torn apart a year or so ago? Would she be sitting here in this exact same spot in her office, worrying about the brunette starting work again? Well, all she was certain of was that, had she allowed Jo into her life, she wouldn't be in a relationship with Phil Hunter again, that was for sure. Her thoughts wandering to him for a moment, she decided that maybe she should return home, after all, he'd probably be wondering where she was.

When Sam's vision returned to her computer clock she was shocked to see it showing five thirty am. She'd prepared herself for the fact it might be about three in the morning, but not half five. The DI couldn't quite figure out where she'd lost the hours, she knew that she'd whittled away a good few hours contemplating her non-existent relationship with Jo, but she wasn't aware that she'd spent that long thinking about the brunette. And she knew she definitely hadn't spent that long thinking about her relationship with Phil.

Sam decided maybe now was the time to leave, if she went home straight away she could have the possibility of scraping an hours sleep before getting back up for work, if she could avoid the questions from Phil.

* * *

Sam returned to the office, surprisingly not a hair out of place despite her lack of sleep and unusual disdain for her morning beauty routine. She rushed through the CID office, calling out that she wanted to speak to everyone in five minutes, before entering her office, placing her bag on her desk before quickly checking her emails, surprised to see one from Jo waiting for her. Frowning slightly, she opened the email, quickly skimming the content. She sighed; it read:

Hi Sam, how are you? I guess by now you've heard about the job, I'm sorry I didn't contact you when I first applied. I hope we can put aside what happened in Manchester, I don't want you to think that it meant nothing to me, quite the opposite, but if you still see fit to ignore our attraction I will not hinder your quest to forget us. If you're not comfortable with working with me again then I'll understand, just tell me that and I'll turn down the job, I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable.

Jo. x

Closing the email down, Sam returned to the office, calling everyone together before making her announcement. 'Right, now I have some news on the replacement for DS Turner, who, I'm sure you all know by now left under unfortunate circumstances.'

'Yeah, he was arrested!' Phil called out, resulting an a few laughs from his colleagues around him, Sam however, simply raised an eyebrow to him, 'Sorry Guv.'

'Enough about Stuart Turner, his replacement is someone that a few of you will remember. That would be Terry, Phil, Mickey and Mark; I think you were here for a short while before she left. Now, you will all remember her not as a DS, but DC Masters.'

'Jo?' Phil called out, a broad grin on his face. 'I haven't seen her in years, how's she doing?'

'Well I'm guessing pretty well to be promoted to a DS, don't you think?'

'Yeah, stupid question Phil.' One of the team called out, receiving a glare from Phil. Sam sighed, she could see already that he was shaping up to be a fine replacement for Stuart, something she had hoped wouldn't happen. The rivalry with Phil and the constant flirting with her told her he was the perfect Stuart replacement, though thankfully was still only a DC.

'All right, pipe down Danny. Now, she's going to be back here as of tomorrow, so any of you that know her, make sure you welcome her back! And everyone else, I hope you appreciate what a talented officer she is and what an addition she'll be to the team. Right, okay, well back to today. Danny, you're with Mickey on the burglary case still.' Sam listened to the groans coming from their direction, 'Yeah, well the moment you solve it the moment you can have a different case, but until then you're re-examining the evidence in the crime lab. Terry, Karla, we've just had an attempted arson come in, I'd like you two to get down there and see what you can find. Sara, Mark, the assault case you were on yesterday, and then Phil, you're with me on a gang beating, probably drug related. The rest of you, paperwork!' she grinned, resulting in many grins throughout the remaining officers, 'If any cases come in, fight them out between yourselves. Okay, everyone know what they're up to today?'

After a few nods of heads and a couple of 'Yes Guv's, Sam returned to her office, hearing footsteps behind her. Just as she reached her office, she felt a hand on her shoulder, the blonde turning around. 'Phil.'

'Hey Sam. I was just wondering, the whole thing with Jo being on a murder charge, I take it that was sorted out then?'

'Yeah, we found the killer just before I came back here.'

'Oh, who was it in the end?'

'I think that'll be up to Jo to tell you if she so wishes. Now, are you planning on working today or just gossiping?'

'I'm taking a friendly interest, I like Jo don't I? She was a mate, I just want to make sure she's okay.'

'Yeah, well you can ask her tomorrow, right now I want you in there, looking through the witness statements.' Sam smiled, handing him a file full of signed statements.

'Oh give me the easy job why don't you?'

'I like to stretch you Phil, go on.'

'Guv.' He replied with a cheeky smile.

Leaving Phil in the corridor, Sam entered her office, sighing as she pulled out her desk chair and took a seat. Opening up her email from Jo again, the blonde began a reply. After about ten minutes of constantly changing her short email, she finally settled on:

Jo,

I'm fine thank you. Yes, I was informed yesterday and the team today. It's fine, I'm sure you had a lot on. I hope we can too, I only wish to forget us for both our sakes, trust me, it's just easier this way. I'm sure it will be a challenge, working in such close proximity, but I, as I hope you are, am a professional. I will put it behind me and treat you as I would any other member of the team. I do not wish for you to turn down the job, as I told the team earlier, I'm sure you will be a productive addition to Sun Hill, more so now that you are coming back as a DS. Thank you for contacting me before your return. I'll see you tomorrow.

Sam.

Sam sighed as she read back over the email, she hated how detached it sounded when she was emailing not only an old friend, but someone who meant much more than that to her. Sam clicked the send button before she could change her mind and ask Jo not to return; knowing that she had to allow Jo a chance, no matter how much she feared it would tear her heart in two.

She couldn't help but wonder what would happen on Jo's return. She knew she'd still have feelings for the brunette, but she wasn't sure whether they would be stronger or weaker, though she did know there would be some change in what she felt in Manchester, that she could be sure of. Well, there was no point dwelling on it now, shed find out tomorrow morning, until then, she had a case to help Phil on, and she was sure that leaving him doing paperwork for longer than the fifteen minutes he'd already had could be dangerous. Standing up from her chair, the blonde exited her office, heading towards the room she'd left Phil in.

'Right, come on then, we better go and interview the victim.' She called, startling the male on the other side of the room, concentrating surprisingly well on the file on the table.

'Oh right, sure, Guv.' He replied, rising to his feet and shutting the file in front of him.

'She's in St Hughs, can you grab a set of car keys?'

'Mm-hm.' Phil called, picking a set from the hooks next to him. 'You driving or am I?'

'I don't really think I want to risk another journey with you, Phil, no offence.' She answered, referring back to a couple of days ago when Phil had almost got the two of them killed as a result of his reckless driving.

'Fair enough I suppose.' He responded with a grin, resulting in him receiving a playful thump from Sam.

'Go on, get going.'

'Guv.' He replied, saluting her in army fashion.

'Oi, when did I turn back into 'Guv' eh?' Sam asked, slightly offended.

'When you came home from here at six this morning, woke me up when you noisily got into bed, and then was out again before me this morning.'

'Sorry, I just had a lot on my mind.'

'Anything you want to talk about?' He question, concerned.

'Oh, no, it was just that woman I told you about, Annette, she was killed yesterday.' Sam lied. She was partially truthful; she had been affected by Annette's death, but it was Jo more than anything playing on her mind, but that was just something she couldn't admit to Phil.

'You sure that's all?'

'Why wouldn't it be?' Sam snapped defensively, instantly regretting it. 'Sorry, I just…'

'It's fine. It's just you don't seem yourself.'

'Since when?' Sam asked, not having noticed anything different in either herself or their relationship.

'Just, lately. I mean, I hardly saw you yesterday, and even that was just in this place. But you just haven't been around much in a bit now.'

'How long is a bit?'

'I don't know, couple of months maybe.' Phil admitted.

'I… I didn't realise… I'm sorry… I…' Sam stuttered, not really sure what to say.

'It's fine.' Phil cut in, 'You've had a lot going on here, what with Neil leaving and everything, I understand.'

'But I didn't… I didn't know.' She confessed, feeling guilty that she had neglected her relationship and not even noticed.

'It's fine, honestly. Babe, few months time and we'll be married and none of this will matter.' He took the blonde's hand in his own, entwining their fingers before moving his hands behind his back, stretching his shoulders, wrapping her arms around him, keeping their hands joined as he shifted them into a hug of sorts. Sam rested her head on his shoulder, looking down at the engagement ring adorning her finger.

Pulling out of the hug, Phil looked at Sam, wiping a tear from her cheek. 'Sam, this is still what you want, right?'

'Yeah, yeah of course.' Sam answered defensively.

'Are you sure, I mean, if it's not, I don't mind, we can just keep things as they are.'

'No, this is what I want.' Sam concluded confidently, linking their fingers once again and standing on tiptoes to plant a short kiss on his lips. 'I love you, Phil, I can't wait to be your wife.' Sam whispered in his ear, wishing she were as convinced about that statement as she sounded.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, they're very much appreciated, and do actually speed me up in writing the next chapter! Please don't hate me for the beginning, I just want to show that she really is happy with Phil.

Lucy - I'm not killing Sam, even if she is engaged to Phil!

Abi – I have actually written a Sam/Phil songfic before, so this isn't the first time I've delved into that side of things.

* * *

Sam wriggled slightly in the bed, pulling herself, and the sheet that she'd managed to wrap herself in, off the mattress.

'Oi, where you going?' Phil asked sleepily from his horizontal position on the bed, sitting up slightly to wrap his arms around her waist as she made for the door.

'I've got to get going.'

Phil turned to the clock, not releasing Sam from his hold. 'It's twenty to seven. Stay a bit longer, I haven't seen you properly yet this morning.' He grinned, attempting to drag her back onto the bed.

Sam writhed in his grip, pulling herself free. Smiling sweetly, she bent down to plant a soft kiss on his lips. 'Sorry, I've got to get in early today, Jo's back and Jack asked me to come in to sort some things out with the two of them.'

'I'm sure fifteen minutes won't make much of a difference. Come on, babe, you can spend all day with Jo and Jack.'

'Yeah, and I can spend all night with you, later. But right now, I really have to get ready.'

'All night?' Phil asked cheekily, an unmistakable grin on his face as he wrapped his arms back around her waist, softly drawing her back to the bed. He sat up, allowing her to straddle his lap.

'Yes.' She answered with a smile, 'Now come on, let me go.' She protested half-heartedly, quite happy sitting on top of him. The blonde ran her hands along his back, moving towards him further to kiss him once again. 'Love you.' She whispered when she pulled back, running a finger down his cheek.

'I love you too, babe.' He murmured, tracing his hands down her sides, slipping his arms around her back once again, placing another kiss on her lips. 'You don't have to go right…'

'You have a one track mind, Phil Hunter!' She interrupted, kissing his nose softly, 'I have to, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you later, I promise.' She whispered, slowly climbing off the bed again and wrapping the sheet back around her properly, slipping half way out of the door. 'I'm gonna go grab a shower, I'll be back in a few minutes.' She called; walking fully out of the room and shutting the door before Phil had another chance to make a grab for her.

Sam lent against the wall, smiling to herself. She shut her eyes briefly, picturing the happy memories she'd acquired with Phil. Shaking herself out of her trance; she headed for the shower.

* * *

Sam looked up to the clock as she walked through the deserted CID office. Five past eight. She sighed to herself, thinking about the extra time she could have spent with Phil this morning. Heading into Jack's office, she was surprised to find her boss and Jo already seated. 'Sorry, am I late?' She asked briefly, looking to her watch, positive they'd agreed to meet at quarter past.

'No, no, we're just early.' Jack replied. 'Take a seat.' He offered, motioning to the chair next to Jo.

'Hi Jo.' She smiled slightly as she sat down next to the brunette, attempting to not look the woman in the eyes.

'Hi, long time no see, you alright?' Jo asked warmly, striving to break the atmosphere between the two of them, certain that Jack had noticed.

'Yeah, I'm fine, thanks, how are you?'

'Oh you know how it is, over-worked, stressed, tired, heavens knows why I came back to this place!' she joked, a grin on her face.

'Sound like a typical DS then.' Sam smiled, her eyes meeting Jo's for the briefest of seconds, the blonde instantly looking down. 'Right, well, we can't chat all day, what's this about?' She asked, looking to Jack, trying to remain as professional as possible.

'Well, just wanted to check how things are between the two of you, y'know how it is. Make sure everything was left okay from when you were up in Manchester together, from the sounds of things you haven't stayed in contact.' He commented, not knowing quite how far he could stick his nose into their business before they stopped him.

'Oh, you know what it's like, two different places, two different shift patterns, you loose contact.' Sam responded quickly, a fake smile on her face.

'That all there is to it?' he asked innocently, never quite believing that Sam and Jo were just friends, the way Sam had rushed to Manchester when Jo needed her was quite out of character. She left her job and life behind for over a month, he knew Sam wouldn't do that for just anyone.

'Yeah, why wouldn't it be?' Sam answered casually, her heart racing as she thought of all the possibilities flying around in Jack's head as he contemplated it.

'Oh, no reason. Just seemed that you left all of a sudden, that's all.'

'Well, we caught the killer, there was no need for me to stay any longer.'

'Course. It's just I heard you left pretty much as soon as he was arrested.'

'Well, I'd been away for a while, I needed to be earning again, I couldn't stay indefinitely.'

'Couple of hours wouldn't have made a difference.' He remarked without thinking, forgetting he was talking to Sam Nixon, not just anyway.

'I just needed to get away, that's all.' Sam replied harshly, not as prepared as she'd like to be for this interrogation into her private life.

'Right, well, just out of interest, who was the killer in the end?' He turned to Jo, fearing he'd pushed Sam a little too far this morning already.

Jo took a sharp breath in, having been attempting as best she could to forget what had happened. 'My father.'

Jack paused, lost for words, 'Wasn't he…'

'Dead? Yes, or so I thought. Turns out he faked his own death.'

'Oh, well, I'm sorry that must have been hard for you.'

'Yeah, I'm just trying to forget it now, though.'

'Right, yeah, sorry. Listen, I better let you get your desk sorted out.'

'Oh right, yeah thanks Guv.' She smiled, rising from her chair and exiting the office.

Sam looked to the door, about to do the same and head to her own office. Jack addressing her once again stopped her, though.

'Sam, would you mind working with Jo today?'

'I'm on an assault case with Phil at the moment, sorry Guv.'

'Yeah, I though maybe Phil could use a bit of time on paperwork.'

'He won't thank you for that, Jack.'

'I'm not really interested in his thanks, Sam, I think Jo could do with settling back in.'

'Maybe it'd do her good to be paired with someone she doesn't know, let her get to know some of her new colleagues.' Sam suggested.

'Look, Sam, I know there's more to you and Jo than you're both letting on, what is it?'

'Nothing.' Sam replied defensively, 'There's nothing.'

'Right, so why do you have a problem working with her?' As confident as he was that Sam wouldn't intentionally allow whatever happened between herself and Jo interfere with her professional life, he needed to stress that to her, even if all it did was open up old wounds and forced the blonde into confronting whatever demons she was obviously fighting.

'I don't.'

'Then prove it to me.'

'Fine. I'll work with Jo today. But I'm not backing you up if Phil blows up about this.'

'Why would he?' Jack queried.

'Because you're putting him on paperwork.'

'So he wouldn't be jealous of you and Jo working together then?'

'No, why would he be?'

'The two of you just seem to have a bit of tension between you.'

'Phil and I are perfectly happy together, Guv.' Sam replied cautiously, knowing there was no tension between herself and the DS she was due to marry.

'I meant between you and Jo actually.'

'There's nothing between myself and Jo.' She retorted, not aware that the atmosphere between the two of them was so obvious.

'Okay, get to work then.'

* * *

Sam perched on the edge of Jo's desk, the DS rummaging through her bottom draw. She looked up as Sam sat down, smiling slightly at the blonde. 'Sam.'

'Look, Jack's asked me to work with you today.'

'Okay, what have we got?'

'He thinks there's something between us, Jo.'

'Right… And what did you say to that?'

'That there wasn't, of course, there isn't.' She added firmly, looking into Jo's eyes properly for the first time in over three years.

'Okay.'

'What happened with your father, did you ever get to speak to him?'

'No… he, er, he committed suicide. I didn't get much of a chance to talk to him.'

'I'm sorry.' Sam said softly, raising her left hand to her head to straighten out her hair.

Jo's attention immediately diverted to the blonde in front of her, her vision following her hand as she saw something catch the morning light. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the ring on her finger, a glistening diamond on a white gold band.

She took a sharp intake of breath, causing Sam to look down to her. 'Er, nice ring, Sam.' She commented, her heart doing somersaults as she attempted to accept this.

'Oh, yeah, I meant to tell you, Phil and I…' she bit down gently on her bottom lip, 'We're getting married.'

'When?'

'August the 31st.'

'Oh, that's, well, soon.'

'Yeah.'

'How long have you been…'

'Engaged? Six months.'

'Oh, and how long have you been together?'

'Almost three years.'

Jo looked down, feeling a tear trickle down her face. 'Well, I suppose congratulations are in or…'

'You don't have to.' Sam interrupted.

'No, I'm happy for you.' She concluded convincingly, still looking away from the blonde, knowing that Sam must have got back with him almost instantly when she returned from Manchester.

'Well, thanks, look I better get back to my office.' Sam added awkwardly, not knowing how to react to the brunette.

'Yeah, I'll see you in a bit.'

'Yeah. Here's the file.' She placed a thin file on the desk, standing as she did so. 'We've not got much to go on I'm afraid.'

'Okay, well I'll take a look.' Jo replied, watching as Sam retreated to her office, the DS left alone in the CID office, feeling out of place, hoping someone else would arrive soon. Glancing at her clock, she sighed, twenty past eight, she doubted she'd find herself with company for another half an hour.

* * *

'Sam?' Jo called, knocking on the open door to alert the blonde to her presence.

'Yeah, come in.' She said, briefly looking up to signal for her to take a seat.

'Think I've got something on this case?'

'Yeah?' Sam asked hopefully, her own investigative skills having drawn a blank on it.

'Yeah, this vic, she's a small time model, right?'

'Mmm, pretty low level stuff, a few magazine shoots for a couple of the glossys, but nothing to get her recognised on the streets.'

'Precisely.' She concluded with a smile, causing Sam's brow to furrow.

'Does that give us any leads?' the blonde asked dubiously, having already looked into the girl's profession and finding nothing untoward.

'Well yes, I mean, she was killed at Jamaica Docks, right?'

'Right.'

'Well then. There was a big shoot there a couple of weeks ago.'

'Wait a sec, how long have you been back in Sun Hill?' Sam quizzed, knowing Jo wouldn't know about something like that had she been in Manchester at the time, the blonde not even knowing about it herself.

'A few weeks.' Jo admitted sheepishly, fearing her superior was about to explode at her.

'And how come you didn't tell me earlier?' Sam asked calmly, knowing raising her voice would attract unwanted attention.

'I didn't know how to. At least when I got the sergeant's post here I had a reason for contacting you. Before that I just didn't know how to call or email or anything. I'm sorry.'

Sam paused, waiting for enough awkward silence to fill the room for her to be able to revert back to the previous conversation without Jo having enough strength to push her for a response. 'So this thing at Jamaica Docks, was she in the shoot or what?'

'I'm not sure yet, I've got a couple of uniform looking into it for me while I chase up a couple of possible witnesses, I just thought I should let you know.'

'Yeah, well thanks for keeping me informed.'

'No problem.' Jo replied, thinking twice about pointing out to the blonde that it was in fact _their_ case, not just Jo's as Sam seemed to think it was at the moment. Letting out a quiet sigh as Sam said nothing more, the brunette turned and left the office, silently praying Sam would grow up soon and either admit she wanted to be with her or let go, allowing them to both lead normal lives without all the hostility and tension.


End file.
